advocacy alert - please read!
Published: Tue, 03/03/20
Below is an alert that requires your attention.
ACTION ALERT
As the 2020 Legislative Session comes to an end, there is a very good bill that needs help, and bad bill that should be stopped!
Take action NOW!
Good bill: SB 6287
“Guardianship and Supported Decision Making”
Message: Please contact your legislators – Senator and House members – and ask them to support SB 6287.
(If you don't know what your legislative district is, click here.)
What does SB 6287 do?
• Implements supported decision-making. Supported decision-making is an alternative to guardianship that allows people to keep their rights, and create an agreement with others who help with decisions.
• Restores rights in guardianship. When Washington adopted the Uniform Guardianship Act last year, some rights were lost – like the right to a jury trial, and an easy-to-use complaint process. SB 6287 restores many rights.
• Puts off implementation of Uniform Guardianship Act till 2022. Allows for orderly transition and securing of individual rights.
Disability Rights Washington supports SB 6287
Questions? David Lord davidl@dr-wa.org
Bad bill: SB 5270
“Expanding Involuntary Commitment”
Message: Please contact your legislators – Senator and House members – and ask them to oppose SB 5270.
(If you don't know what your legislative district is, click here.)
What does SB 5270 do?
• Detains for up to a week before court hearing. Under current law, a person can be held for up to 72 hours (3 days) before seeing a judge. SB 5720 would increase that time to 120 hours (5 days). Courts aren’t open on weekends, so the effect is that a person will be held up to a week before seeing a judge!
• Expands definition of "gravely disabled" to include severe deterioration "from safe behavior" instead of "in routine functioning."
• Expands definition of "likelihood of serious harm" to include behavior that has caused "substantial pain" and behavior that places a person in reasonable fear of harm to other persons.
• Allows involuntary medication for a person outside of the hospital. Under SB 5720, a court can authorize involuntary medication as part of a less restrictive alternative.
• Sets up a Workgroup. Establishes an Involuntary Treatment Work Group to evaluate implementation of the expansion of the ITA system.
Click on this link for a summary and the pro/con on SB 5270.
Disability Rights Washington opposes SB 5270.
Questions? David Lord davidl@dr-wa.org
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